
Class. 
Book. 



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V 



Yil'^ 



A DESCKIPTION 

OF THE 

ROGERS' BRONZE DOOR, 

AT THE CAPrrOT. 

ACCOMPANIED WITH A DIAGKAM.--- 



Tliis magnilicent ])ooi' optnis out of the old Hall (jf the 
House of Eepreseiitativos upon the eorridor leadino- iuto the 
new Hall. 

It was originally designrd to occupy this pla.ee, l>ut Thomas 
IJ. WaUer, Es.j.. 'Arehitect of the United States' Capitol Exten- 
sion and the new Dome/' who ;dso was the architect of 
the "Girard College, at Philadel})hia," \'(^iy jiidicionslv remarks 
in his Annual Report of 1<S(J2 :--— 

This "is not a suitablr irlacc for it, as llieir is nothing in the location 
that requires such a dooi', nor is there any reason whj^ an opening so 
entirely subordinate and unimportant in the design of the building should 
be embellished with so magnilicent and expensive a work of art. 

"The door which closes this opening should correspond with the main 
entrance door of the present Hall of Representatives which stands opposite 
to it. Besides, it could never be seen to anj' advantage ; — standing in the 
common thoroughfai'e through the building it would never remain closed 
during the sessions of Congress; its valves would necessarily bo always 
folded back iuto tin- jambs, thus sacrificing the A\iK)le ctfect of the compo- 
sition. 

"In view of these considerations I respectfully recommend that this 
door be placed in the Eastern Front of the centre building, and be made to 
constitute the principal entrance to the Capitol. In this situation its 
elaborate decorati(ms would be seen to advantage, liaving the full benefit 
of light and shade, and there would be nothing to i)revent its occasionally 
remaining closed." 

*Entere(l accordiug to au Act of Coniirpss, in the ypar ISO.'!, Iiy the .\uthoi' in the Clfrlc's 
office of the District of Colnmliia. 



Cn Wnic. 



2 THE KOGERS' BROXZE DOOR 

In his Annual Report for 1863, just made public, Mr. Walter 
thus resumes the subject of the location of the Door: — 

" I objected to this localitj^ in my last Annual Eeport, and gave several 
reasons why it -would be preferable to place it at the principal entrance of 
the old Capitol. T find, however, after having seen the door, that it is not 
at all suitable for the exterior entrance of such a building ; it has too much 
hue detail for outside exposure in a climate like this, and were it placed 
in the centre of the Eastern Front, as proposed, its surroundings would not 
be in harmony with so elaborate and maguiticent a work of art. 

" The Eastern Portico of the old building will certainly be taken doAvn at 
no very distant day, and the front be extended eastward, at least, to the 
Iront line of the wings, so as to complete the architectural group, and, at 
Mie same time, afford additional accommodations to the legislative depart- 
ment of the Government. 

"When this improvement shall have been put in progress, the vestibule 
niaj- be made a leading feature in the building, and it may be so designed 
as to be in harmonj^ with this door, which can then be removed and made 
to serve the purpose of an inner or vestibule door, where it will be pro- 
tected from the weather, and where the architecture in connection with it 
\\'\\\ be consistent with its form and in harmony with its design." 

What efl'ect these remarks and recommendations may have 
upon the final disposition of tlie Door cannot, of course, as yet 
be kno\Yu. 

This, howe\'er, is certcdii, that the windoAvs on each side the 
corridor scarcely afford sufficient light to read Avith ease th(>. 
grand illuminated Page of Historv. -which the Door really is. 

FASHION OF THE DOOR. 

The Door is of .solid bronze, and -weighs 20,000 |)Ounds. Its 
Avliole height is seventeen feet and its -width nine feet. It is 
believed to be the only work of the Icind thus con.structed in the 
world. 

The Dour is folding or doable, and the vie^v gi\^en in uur 
necessarily meagre outline Di;igr;nn is of it as it appears -when 
closed. 

It stands sviidv l)ack inside oi' a casing, also of bronze, that 
projects about a foot forward li'om the leaves or valves. On 
this casing each side of the Door, are four figures, at the top and 
l)ottom, representing Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. A 
running border, emblematic of conquest and navigation, 
occupies the space along the casing bet^ween them. 

'o i ''"/ "=) ( 



^^^ 



AT THE CAPITOL. -.) 

l^lie Door Las eight Panels beside tlie semi-circular one at 
the top. In each one of these Panels is a separate picture. 

The back of the Door is plainly finished. Each of the Panels 
tliere has onl>- a circular moulding inclosing a centre star. 

This whole work Avas designed by Randolph Rogers, an 
American artist, and modeled by him in Rome, in 1858. It 
was cast in bronze by F. von Muller, at Munich, and finished 
by him, awaiting the order of Goyernment, in 1861. 

The work is delicately minute in all its details. A single 
figure is in itself a gem of art. The grouping of the scenes is 
liighly effective and each picture is as defined and expressive 
as a line engraving. The work is in alio relievo — the figures 
jirojecting almost entirely out from the surface. 

THE STORY THE DOOR TELLS 

Is the History of CoLinrBUS and the Discovery of 
America. 

The Panel containing the earliest scene in the life of the great 
Admiral, is the lowest one on the left hand side, and in our 
Diagram it is marked 

I. 

It represents " Columbus unclergoiug un Examination before the Council 
of Salamanca." He is seen here zealously unfolding his grand theory to 
his bigoted audience. 

This Council at last, after long delays, decided "the project yain and 
impossible ; and not becoming great princes to engage in on such slender 
grounds as had been adduced." 

The Panel above it marked 

II. 

Contains " Columbus' Departure from the Convent of La Rabida," near 
Palos. He is just setting out to visit'the Spanish Court. 

It was to this Conye]it he had come wearj', and on foot, with his little 
son Diego, begging bread for him, his heart saddened by poyertj', debt, 
and hope deferred. He was received kindly by the pious fathers and 
lived here a long time. Juan Perez, prior of the convent, a former con- 
fessor to Queen Isabella interested himself deeply in his affairs and through 
him and the Lady Beatriz de Bobadilla, a favorite attendant of Isabella, 
the queen was induced to send Columbus 20,000 maravedis, about seventy- 



4 TPIE ROGERS BRONZE DOOR 

two dollars, equivalent to two hundred and sixteen dollars of the present 
time, to enable him to make a respectable appearance at court. It was 
while staying at this Convent that he also formed the acquaintance of 
Alonzo Pinzon who sailed with him in his iirst voj^age to America. 
The Panel marked 

111. 
Is his "Audience at the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella." In this pic- 
ture the queen, seated in state, leans forward and seems deeply interested 
in Avhat Columbus is saying. The king, by her side, with cliilling apathy 
evidently regards him as a visionary. 

The next Panel is the top one of this half of the door, and is marked 
by us 

IV. 

Its picture represents tlie '"Starting of Columbus from Palos" on his 
first voyage. He is here confiding his son to the monks before he enibarks. 
His ships lie waiting in the harbor. 

THE TRANSOM TA^EI- 

Occupies the semi-circular sweep over the whole dooi'. The extensive 
picture iiere is the "First Landing of the Spaniards in state at San Salva- 
dor." 

The top Panel on tlie other leaf of the door, and marked in our Diagram 

V. 

Contains the tirst of the sad pictures of the Door, and represents the 
"Earliest Encounter of the Discoverers with the Natives." In it one of 
the sailors is seen bringing an Indian girl on his shoulders a prisoner to 
his ship. 

The Panel next below this one, marked 

VI. 

Has in it "The Triumphal Entry of Columbus into Barcelona." It is lull 
of the glory of success and waving banners; all the halo of rose-color 
seems now to light u]) the future of the great Discoveier. 

But in the Panel lielow this is represented a very dilfereut scene. It is 
numbered 

And is "The Admiral in Chains." 

Don Francisco de Bobadilla, sent out by the court to investigate charges 
preferred against Columbus, had him, thus disgraced, sent back to Spain. 
When on board the vessel upon the officers there wishing to relieve him 
of his chaiii!-, lie replied with deep feeling:—"! will wear them as a 
memento of the gratitude of princes I" 

In the next Panel, the 



zny 



AT THE CAPITOL. 



VIII. 

I3 the "Death scoiic." Columbus lies in bed. The last rites of the 
Catholic Church have been administered ; — friends and attendants are 
around him ; — and a priest holds up a crucifix for him to kiss, and upon 
it bids him fix his dying eyes. 

Columbus returned from his last voyage poor, sick, and disconsolate. 
True, previous to his starting on this voyage, the charges against him liad 
been all cleared away, and the vain, weak headed Francisco de Bobadilla 
was drowned with his crew on their vajj^age home. But, now his friend 
Queen Isabella was dead. The king looked coldly upon the man who had 
given him an empire. 

Columbus landed near San Lucar, and from thence proceeded to Seville 
Avhere, to quote his own words, he "had no place to repair to except an 
inn, and often with nothing to pay for his sustenance." 

He sought redress at the Spanish Court 'by means of friends and letters, 
but failed in all. After painful delays, sometimes carried on a litter, he at 
last succeeded in reaching Segovia in Old Castile, where the Court then 
was, but all his renewed endeavors to obtain justice Avere futile. 

Columbus died at Yalladolid, the 20th of May, loOG, aged about 70 years. 
His last words were, "i?j manua tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum. vieum.''^ 
"Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit." Those closing eyes 
doubtless opened upon a new discovery — that far brighter land than the' 
Western Antilles, the gold of which is not corroded with blood, or care, 
nor ever dimmed with tears. 

[Note. — Upon the Door itself there are no marks of numbers on the 
Panels as in the Diagram — this numbering was introduced to enable our 
description of it to be more easily imdcrstood.] 

Tlie runeral obsequies of Coluinbas were celebrated in 
great pomp in the })nroeliial cliurcli of Santa Maria de la An- 
tigua, in Yalladolid, and his remains interred in the Convent 
of St. Francis. In 1510 they were removed to tlie Carthusian 
monastery of Las Cuevas, at Seville. 

In 1536 they were taken from Spain to the island of St. Do- 
mingo where they remained over two hundred, and fifty years. 
From there, again, in 1796, they were removed in great pomp 
to Havana and now rest in the Cathedral of the Capital oi' 
Cuba. 

THE STATUETTES, 

On the Door, on the sides and between these Panels, are six- 
teen small statue.s, set in niches, of eminent cotemporaries ot 
Columbus. Their names are marked on the Door, as well as 



6 THK ROGERS' BRONZE t>OOR 

on tlie Diagraui, v.'here tliey are printed in the positions tliey 
occup}^ on the D()or. 

Beo-innino- at the hottom. on the side from which we started 
in nnmbering the Panels, we Ihid the lignre occupying the 
h^west niche is 

Perez. Juan Perez de Marcliena was prior of the Convent of La Rabi- 
(la, the earl_y and ever firm friend of Columbus. 

The niche above this is occupied liy Cortez, tlie conquerer of Mexico. 

Above him again stands Ojeda. Don Alonzo de Ojeda was an early 
Spanish adventurer to the New World, — of patrician birth. He possessed 
great bravery and endurance, but lacked fealty to the illustrious Admiral. 

Vespucci occupies the next niche on tlie door. It is, perhaps, not 
generally known that among the friends of Columbus whom he trusted 
during his last dark days was numbered Amerigo Vespucci. 

Then come, opposite in line across the door, standing in two niches, side 
by side, Me>;doza and Alexa^'deii VI. 

Pedro Gonzales de Meudoza, Archbishop of Toledo and Grand Cardinal 
of Spain, at an early period patronized the cause of Columbus. His influ- 
ence at court was great, and he is sometimes facetiously called "the third 
king of Spain." 

Alexander VI. was a Roman Pontiff. He was a native of Valencia and 
))orn a subject to the crown of Arragou. He was an able and politic sover- 
eign, although represented bj' history as a perfidious, bad man. 

Then follow, belovi' them, Isabella and Ferdinand, King and Queen 
of Spain. 

Beneath them stands the Lady Beatiuz de Bobadilla, marchioness of 
"Moya, the early friend of Columbus, and favorite of Queen Isabella. Be- 
side her is 

Charles VIII. , King of France, a prince t)f tke house of Valois. He 
died 1498, aged 28 years. 

The first figure of the lowest pair on the door is He^ry VIL, of Eng- 
land, the Richmond of Shakspeare's play of Richard III. and grandtather 
to the Queens Maiy and Elizabeth. He was a patron of navigation, and 
seemed disposed to regard with favor the theory of Columbus, which was 
presented to his notice by Bartholomew the brother of the Admiral. But, 
already, the discovery had been accomplished. Beside him, stands 

John II., King of Portugal. This monarch declined accepting the pro- 
posals from Columbus made him previous to his application to Ferdinand 
and Isabella. 

Then, in the same line witli them, across the Panel, is 

PiKZON. Martin Alonzo Pinzon commanded the " Pinta," one of Co- 
lumbus's little fieet of three vessels. It was he who first saw "Land," 
September 25, 1492 : eventually his friendship died out and he proved 
treacherous to Columbus. He died a victim to grief and bitter mortifica- 
tion. 



iz^S 



AT THE CAPITOL, 



In the uiche above Pinzon stands B. Columbus, the brother of the 
Admiral, and appointed by him adelardndo, or lieutenant-governor of the 
Indies. 

Then comes Yasco Ku>'ez de Balboa, n Spanish discoverer and adven- 
turer, born in 1475. It was he who crossed the isthmus of Daricn and on 
September 20, 1510, first saw from a mountain the Pacific ocean. 

In the niclie above, again at the top of the Door, stands the figure of 
FnAKCTSco PizAKRO the conqueror of Peru. 

THE HEADS ON THE DOOR. 
Between tlie Panels and at top and bottom of the valves of 
the Door are ten small projecting heads, They are indicated 
on the Diagram by round outline dots. 

These heads, or rather those "between the Panels," are de- 
scribed in Mr. Walter's Eeport as " representing historians who 
have wTitteu on his (Columbus') vo^-ages from his own time 
down to the present day, ending with Irving and Prescott." 

All endeavor to obtain further certain information relative to 
the heads has resulted in disappointment. Mr. Walter offered 
an examination of all his correspondence with the artist that 
might throw light upon the subject, but he himself had stated 
already, as above quoted, all that could be thus elicited. The 
two heads at the tops of the valves are evidently female heads, 
while the two next the floor possess markedly Indian charac- 
teristics. 

Above, over the transom arch, on the casing of the Door, 
looks down, over all, the serene grand head of CoTUMBUS. 

Beneath this head of Columbus, the AitERiCAX Eagle 
spreads out his widely extended wings. . 

Besides all that there has been attempted to describe, the rest 
of the Door is covered with emblems, banners, and heraldic 
emblazonry, relating to the times and the people that figure in 
the historic lessons, impressed upon its ponderous leaves, 

COST OF THE DOOR. 
The cost of the Dooi- Avas al)Out thirty thousand dollars, in 
gold. 

The above " Desckiptiox of the Dook," &c., is printed from pages of 
a Book now in Press, the first number of which will be published early 
in 1864, entitled "The Federal City ; or Ins and Abouts of Washington.'' 
By "Solus," a newspaper correspondent. 




Oiatliiae Diagram of tlie Door. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 369 092 1 




